Matt and Linsey Pimentel

Champions of Giving: Matt and Linsey Pimentel

Meet the Donors

Matt Pimentel is a 2001 graduate of Austin Prep who came to the school in sixth grade and spent seven formative years on campus. Today, he serves as a trustee and remains deeply connected to Austin Prep through his family, his service, his philanthropy, and the work of Pimentel Construction. Alongside Matt is his wife, Linsey, whose own connection to the school has grown through the relationships, traditions, and sense of community their family has built here over time.

Matt still remembers first coming to Austin Prep as a fifth grader to take the placement exam. His family’s decision to enroll him was tied to a larger family journey. “My reason for coming to Austin Prep was simply that my sister (Jill Pimentel-Slye ’99) was enrolling in 8th grade and my parents felt it was time for me to come with her,” he said.

Once he arrived, Austin Prep quickly became a place that shaped him in lasting ways. Athletics were a major part of that experience. Matt came to school as a hockey player, then found his way into running through the encouragement of coaches and staff. That path led him from cross country and track and field at Austin Prep to Clemson University, where he competed in cross country and indoor track for four years and helped his team win two Atlantic Coast Conference championships.

But when he reflects on what has mattered most in his life and career, Matt points first to relationships. “The thing that’s helped me professionally the most, I think, is the relationships I built here with faculty and staff,” he said. For Matt, one of the most meaningful relationships he built at Austin Prep was with George “Matt” Miller, the longtime Austin Prep teacher and librarian who came to every track meet and cross country race and had a lasting impact on many students and alumni.

The Inspiration to Give

 

For Matt and Linsey giving to Austin Prep is rooted in gratitude, legacy, and a deep belief in the impact the school has on students and families. Matt traces that commitment back to his own experience here and to the people who helped shape it.

He recalled returning to campus for a final lecture by Matt Miller before his retirement and seeing how many alumni had come back to honor that legacy. “For me, it was very moving to see the impact he had not only on me, but on the other alumni who returned to campus for his final day before retirement,” Matt said. That experience helped inspire Matt Pimentel to create the Matt Miller Scholarship, a tribute to someone whose kindness, guidance, and encouragement had a profound impact on Matt’s life.

Linsey’s perspective adds another layer to that story. Over the years, Austin Prep became part of her life through family involvement, friendships, and traditions that extended well beyond campus. “There’s a real sense of legacy,” she said. “There’s certainly a lot of pride in our family being so involved in so many different ways here and really leaving the mark on the school.”

That feeling of connection has only deepened with time. Linsey described the many relationships that have come through Austin Prep and continued far beyond it, turning school ties into lasting friendships and community. For both, Austin Prep is a place where people remain connected, where generosity has visible impact, and where support feels deeply personal.

Supporting Austin Prep

 

Matt and Linsey have supported Austin Prep in many ways: through leadership, philanthropy, family involvement, and the work of Pimentel Construction across campus. Matt has now served on the Board of Trustees for several years, and he sees that work as an important way to help Austin Prep continue to grow and improve.

“Being on the board is important just to see the school continue to improve, continue to progress,” he said. When he looks at the campus now compared with the Austin Prep he knew as a student, he sees extraordinary growth. “It’s a totally different place,” Matt said. “The growth is incredible.”

That growth is also personal for the Pimentel family. Their name is woven into the history of Austin Prep through years of leadership, service, and visible work on campus. Matt’s father, Tony Pimentel P'99,'01 GP'27,'29, served as chair of Austin Prep’s Board of Trustees and is owner of Pimentel Construction. Matt reflects with admiration about the role his father played in helping move major projects forward, including the multipurpose facility (now named Richard J.Meelia '67 Hall), Fr. Seymour stadium, and the dining hall. “The impact my father had on Austin Prep is remarkable,” Matt said. “He played a key role in advancing so many transformative projects on campus, and he was also instrumental in bringing Dr. Hickey to the school. Together, those efforts helped usher in a new era for Austin Prep and shaped much of what the school is today.”

Linsey sees that legacy clearly as well. “There’s a lot of pride in seeing Matt’s name and the names of my in-laws, Tony and Cheryl, here,” she said. “They’ve invested so much in Austin Prep over the years, and their impact is something people can see and appreciate every day.”

One of the events they return to annually is the Memorial Scholarship breakfast, where they meet students and families directly, including the recipients of the Matt Miller Scholarship that they support. For them, that event captures the heart of why giving matters. “Just seeing how grateful families are for the support, the opportunity that their children are given,” Matt said, has made a lasting impact on him.

Linsey described those mornings in equally powerful terms. “To sit with them at breakfast and learn all about their hopes and dreams and how Austin Prep is impacting their growth and development is incredibly meaningful,” she said. “It makes you want to keep making contributions because right there is a student telling you about the colleges they hope to attend, what they want to study, where they want to be in the world in the next five years.”

Why Giving Matters

 

For the Pimentels, giving is about helping create opportunity and leaving things better for the people who come next. Linsey put it simply and beautifully: “You can always leave spaces better than when you started in them.” Whether that means giving time, giving financially, or showing up in support of a cause that matters, she believes generosity is one of the clearest ways to make a real and positive impact.

Matt believes the most meaningful investments are those whose impact extends beyond the present moment. Supporting students, programs, and teams today helps ensure that future generations have the same opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed. “It’s really about the future and helping to build a strong foundation,” he said.

That mindset is a natural fit for the way they think about Austin Prep. The school has helped shaped Matt’s life, created lasting relationships for their family, and offered them a front-row view of how meaningful support can change the student experience. Each year, the handwritten notes from scholarship recipients and the conversations they share with families serve as reminders that generosity has a direct and lasting effect.

For Matt and Linsey, Austin Prep is a place worth investing in because its impact is so clear. It can be seen in the students who are here now, in the families whose lives are changed by opportunity, and in the legacy of a school that continues to grow stronger through the people who love it. Their story is one of gratitude, stewardship, and a commitment to helping Austin Prep continue to shape lives for years to come.

 

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Become a Champion of Giving

The article above is part of our Champions of Giving series, which highlights the individuals and families whose generosity transforms student lives and strengthens the Austin Prep experience. You too can be a Champion of Giving by supporting our students through annual giving, memorial scholarships, or campaign contributions. Your gift helps students learn boldly, lead with purpose, and serve with compassion — creating a lasting impact for generations to come.